Attachment means for suction actuated device



Oct. 17, 1967 M. v. GROVES ETAL 3,346,907

ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR SUCTION ACTUATED DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Feb.

17, 19557 M. v. GROVES ETAL ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR SUCTION ACTUATED DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet Original Filed Feb.

United States Patent 3,346,907 ATTACHMENT MEANS FOR SUCTION ACTUATED DEVICE Martin V. Groves, Greenwood Lake, and Michael Mastromatteo, Hartsdale, N.Y., assignors to Pill-Vac, Inc., New York, N .Y., a corporation of New York Original application Feb. 7, 1963, Ser. No. 256,915, new Patent No. 3,204,282, dated Se t. 7, 1965. Divided and this application Mar. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 438,026 2 Claims. (Cl. 381) This application is a division of our copending application S.N. 256,915 filed Feb. 7, 1963, for Suction Actuated Head.

This invention relates to suction actuated heads. Certain features of the invention are especially useful with vacuum cleaners. The invention is in the nature of an improvement over the subject matter of Martin V. Groves Patent No. 3,054,131 patented Sept. 18, 1962.

An important aspect of the invention contemplates a suction actuated head comprising a main body in combination with a readily detachable motor unit comprising a housing which carries a drive motor such as a suction impulse motor disposed in the suction line between the upstream opening in said motor unit and the downstream opening, adapted for attachment to a source of suction such as a vacuum cleaner. This enables the selection of one of several types of main bodies each especially constructed and arranged for a special use, while utilizing the same impulse suction motor unit. For example, for floor or floor covering cleaning, a main body suitable for sweeper use may be utilized, while for cleaning upholstery or draperies, a special type of main body especially suited to these respective purposes may be employed.

Various further and more specific objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear from the description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which form a part of this specification and illustrate by way of example an embodiment of the invention and certain modifications thereof. The invention consists in such novel features and combination of parts as may be shown and described in connection with the apparatus herein disclosed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective top view of an embodiment of the invention in which the main body of the head is especially adapted for use on floors and floor coverings;

FIG. 2 is a bottom View of the device shown in FIG. 1 with certain parts broken away to more clearly show the interior construction;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a part of the device shown in FIG. 1 illustrating a means of readily separating the main body of the head from the impulse motor unit.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction actuated head is designated in general as 1, the main body or housing thereof is designated as 2, the motor unit is designated in general as 3, an articulate and swivel connector is designated as 4 and the conduit, such as the wand of a vacuum cleaner, is designated as 5.

With reference to FIG. 1, a front 6 of the main body extends laterally in a relative straight line and merges with the side edges such as 7 which extend rearwardly normal to the front edge and are jointed with inwardly and rearwardly sloping rear edges such as 8 which in turn gradually merge with a centrally disposed rear edge portion 9 substantially parallel to the front portion 6. The foregoing configuration defines what may be termed as a delta shape in plan view. The thickness of the main body 2 along its forward edge and throughout its width forwardly and rearwardly disposed on respectively opposite sides of the rear edge portion 9 are relatively thin and fiat to permit a major area in plan view of said head to have ready access below objects such as furniture.

The foregoing configuration of the main body 2 is provided by a unitarily formed housing shell, preferably molded from plastic, having a top portion 10 and downwardly extending flanges following the contour of and defining the front sides and rear edges 6, 7, 8 and 9. Also, unitarily formed by partitions extending downwardly from said top 10 is a front suction chamber 15 having a continuous peripheral wall and extending transversely generally parallel to the front edge 6 of the housing; also a pair of rearwardly disposed brush chambers such as 16 each bordered by a peripheral wall and spaced apart laterally, closely adjacent to the rear of the suction chamber 15 with the said suction chamber 15 overlapping the space between the brush chambers such as 16. Preferably, soft sponge rubber sheet-like pieces such as 14 are disposed within the suction chamber 15 adjacent its opposite ends and against the inside of the top 10 of the housing shell for purposes to be hereinafter described. The space within said shell rearwardly of said brush chambers 16 respectively is preferably provided with reinforcing ribs such as 17 and a plurality of suitably disposed bosses such as 18 provided with bores to receive self threading fastening screws such as 19. A bottom plate 21) is secured to the underside of the housing shell within the flange defining the walls 6, 7, 8 and 9 overlying the partitions forming the suction chamber 15 and brush chambers 16 and stiffening webs 17 and is secured in place by screws such as 19 with intervening sealing means such as 21 (see FIG. 3) disposed between the bottom plate 20 and the said partition members to thereby form a seal between the margins of said suction and brush chambers and said plate 20. Pairs of forward sup-porting rollers such as 22 are rotatably mounted on axles such as 23 which are mounted in cradles provided in said shell and are held in operative position by corresponding screws 19 and a pair of rear rollers such as 24 are similarly mounted toward the rear of said head and held in operative position by one of the screws 19. These rollers extend slightly below the lower surface of the place 20' and serve to hold the lower plane of the plate 20 from contact with a floor or hard surface covering thereof; but when said suction head is disposed on a pile rug or the like surface, the rollers sink into the pile of the floor covering and permit the lower plate to substantially contact the upper surface of said floor covering.

The plate 20 is provided with a suction opening 30 conforming in general to the plan view of the suction chamber 15 and is provided at the forward edge of said chamber with a laterally extending corrugated ridge 31 which is relatively narrow in a direction longitudinally of said head and is spaced upwardly from the plane of the lower surface of the plate 21) to provide a space for the admission of air between said lower surface and the fioor covering being cleaned. The plate is likewise provided with openings such as 32 conforming in general to the plan view of the brush chambers such as 16 and the plate 20 is provided with spaced apart laterally extending corrugated ridges such as 33 defining the forward edges of the brush chamber openings such as 32 and an overlapping portion of the suction chamber opening 3%). The corrugated ridges 33, as in the case of the corrugated ridges 31, are disposed upwardly from the lower surface of the plate 20 and are relatively narrow in a fore and aft direction to permit the ready passage of air from the brush chambers 16 into the suction chamber 15. To facilitate the free passage of air between the brush chambers and the suction chamber the plate 20 is recessed upwardly a substantial distance above the corrugated ridges 33 to form channels such as 34 (FIG. 2) serving as oppositely disposed extensions of suction chamber 15. Each of the brush chambers such as 16 (FIG. 1) is provided with atmospheric air inlet means which in the present embodiment take the form of a series of holes 35 passing through the top of the suction head shell immediately over the brush chambers such as 16. Sweeping or cleaning brushes such as 36 (FIG. 2) are mounted within the brush chambers 16 respectively and are preferably directed downwardly and forwardly. Each of the brushes comprises a rigid back portion such as 37 having at its opposite ends clamp members such as 38 (FIG. 2) secured rigidly to the back portion 37.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3 and 4, the suction impulse motor unit 3 comprises a housing which, for convenience of manufacture and assembly, comprises a forward section 40, preferably made of molded plastic, and a rear section 41, preferably made of metal. The rear end of the front section 40-is provided with an outwardly offset sleeve flange 42 providing an annular recess for receiving an outwardly curved annular flange 43 provided on the forward end of the rear section 41 for the purpose to be hereinafter described. The forward housing section 40 is provided with a substantially horizontal forwardly extending flange 44 whose lower face is substantially coplanar with rearwardly extending flange-s such as 45. The top 10 of the housing shell is provided with a raised lip 46 providing a recess for receiving the forward flange 44 and the top 10 of the housing is provided with a depressed recess 47 in interfitting engagement with rearwardly extending flanges such as 45 (see also FIG. 4). When the suction impulse unit 3 is to be attached to the main body 2, the forward flange portion 44 is seated within the slot rovided by the raised portion 46 and the rearwardly extending flange portions such as 45 are in seated engagement within the recess 47 to thereby hold the motor unit 3 against movement laterally or longitudinally. A downwardly facing suction outlet 48 is provided in the front housing portion 40 of the motor unit in register with an upwardly facing suction outlet opening 49 provided in the top of the main body 2 and extending into the suction chamber 15. The mot-or housing section 40 at its rear portion below the flanges 45 is provided with a curved conduit wall section 50 and the top of the main body is provided with an arcuate recess 51 for receiving the same. The motor unit 3 is held firmly in registered position on the main body 2 of the suction head by a quick locking and releasing mechanism comprising a headed stud 52 secured to the motor housing portion 50 and a cooperating locking plate 53 mounted on one of the screws 19 through a slot 53a for fore and aft sliding movement beneath the top surface of the main body and urged rearwardly into locking position by a spring 54. When the motor unit 3 is secured to the main body 2, the stud 52 is disposed through an opening 52a in the surface of the main body in a key shaped slot 53a provided in the plate 53 and so disposed that when in locking position the stud is in the narrow part of the key slot with the plate engaging the head of the stud and when the locking plate is moved forwardly against the spring 54 to release position, the head of the stud 52 is in register with the enlarged part of the key slot, permitting the parts to be disassembled. Suitable gasket seals such as 55 and 56 are provided to insure airtight seal around the suction outlet openings 48 and 49 through which air flows from the suction chamber through the conduit provided by the housing section -41 of the motor unit 3.

The rear of the motor housing section 41 is provided with a suction outlet opening 86 for communication with a source of suction such as a conventional vacuum cleaner wand 5. It can thus be seen that the impulse motor is located in the line of suction between the suction openings 48 and 86 of the motor housing 40-41.

Further details of the impulse motor unit 3 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3. A bracket 60 is slidably disposed within the rear section 41 of the motor housing with its upper or downstream end (with respect to the flow of air through the suction conduit formed by the motor housing 4041) provided with a flange 61 in abutting engagement with a ring washer 62 which is fastened, such as by rivets 62a, to an interior shoulder formed by the adjacent reduced end of the housing section 41 and the flange 61 additionally serves to maintain the bracket 60 centered in an aXial position within said housing. A centrally located spindle 63 extends upstream from the bracket 60 and is fixedly secured thereto by relatively narrow supporting arms such as 64 spaced apart to allow free passage of dirt laden air therebetween. A helical compression spring 65 surrounds the spindle 63 with its downstream end abutting and securely fastened to a ring portion integral with the arms 64. An unloading valve comprising a sleeve 66is slidably mounted within the housing 40-41 for upstream and downstream movement therein. The upstream end of the sleeve 66 is provided with a beaded lip 67 which provides a valve seat and which is tightly rolled around a bead 68 formed on the forward end of a tapered sleeve diaphragm 69 whose larger diameter is held in sealing engagement with the housing wall 40-41. This is conveniently effected by pro viding a head 70 formed on the large diameter of said sleeve 69 and clamping said head within the annular recess provided by the flange 42 and the curved flange v4?: provided on the housing part 41, the clamping of these parts securely together being effected by means of an oppositely disposed pair of toggle clamps 71 (FIGS. 1 and 4) provided with clamping jaws such as 72 which engage within the curved flange 43 (FIG. 3). The toggle clamps 71 are pivotally mounted ,on pins such as 73 secured to the motor housing section 40.

It will thus been seen that the tapered diaphragm 69 bridges the space between the valve sleeve 66 and the surrounding wall of the housing 4041, thereby preventing the passage of air through the space and confining the flowof air to the interior of the valve sleeve 66. The tapered diaphragm sleeve 69 is made of suitable elastomeric material, such as rubber, and is molded to the desired configuration, and we have found that mounting the sleeve in an inside-out relationship relative to the position in which it is molded greatly facilitates roll ing the wall of the sleeve so that the small end of the sleeve moves within the larger end as the valve sleeve moves from its extended position toward the upstream end to the limit of its movement toward the downstream end. This eliminates rubbing friction between its adjacent wall portions and obviates undesirable crimps or wrinkles being formed in the diaphragm sleeve during operation of the device.

The valve seat 67 of the sleeve 66 preferably also forms an interior shoulder near the upstream end of the sleeve, serving as a seat for one end of a helical compression spring 74 disposed within the sleeve 66 surrounding the spring 65 and whose other end extends downstream and is secured to the bracket 60.

A poppet valve member such as an inertia valve head 75 is provided with an annular recess 76 within which is secured the free end of the spring 65 to thereby operatively support the valve head member 75 whose downstream end has a valve closing zone 77 adapted to come into cooperative closing relationship with the valve seat 67 of the sleeve 66. We have found that by providing air relief means to prevent the valve head member 75 from completely closing the opening in the valve seat 67, a very appreciable reduction in the noise level is obtained and for this reason we have purposely provided for bypassing a small amount of air between the valve head and valve seat. For example, it will be seen that the valve zone 77, which is of substantially cylindrical cross section, is slightly smaller than the interior dimension of the valve seat 67 and the valve is limited in its downstream movement by a plurality of peripherally disposed projections such as 78 which come into abutting engagement with the outer edge of the valve seat 67. The head 75 is provided with a downstream end taper, as at 77a, which taper may be varied to vary the operative cycle of operation.

In FIG. 3, it can be seen that when the valve head 75 moves into seating engagement with the valve seat 67 the flow of air through the valve sleeve 66 is substantially prevented.

As best shown in FIG. 3, a band of spring steel such as 80 has its downstream end rigidly secured to the interior of the housing 40-41 as by means of an integral ring 81 which is firmly clamped against the front housing part 40 beneath the head 70 of the tapered diaphragm 69. From this position the spring extends forwardly and upwardly along a curved path which is in register to be contacted by the upstream end of the valve head 75. The upper end of the spring 80 is formed to provide a socket 82 for releasably but firmly holding the upper or stem end 82a of agitator means such as a beater 83 of relatively narrow transverse width so as to permit the stem to pass freely through the suction outlet openings 48 and 49. The lower end of the beater 83 is provided with a transversely extending head 84 disposed within the suction chamber 15 (see also FIG. 2) and has bristles to provide a heater brush 85 which overlaps the space between the inner ends of the pair of sweeper brushes 36 and is resiliently urged downwardly against the surface to be cleaned. The beater brush 85 is thus restrained in place and is free to move only in response to the flexing of the spring 35} due to the reciprocal movement of the valve head 75.

It can be seen from the drawings and the above description that the springs 65 and 74 are both under compression, and hence the spring 65 is adapted to drive the head 75 in an upstream direction while the spring 74 is adapted to drive the sleeve 66 in the same direction. The normal tendency of the apparatus is, therefore, to urge the head 75 and the valve seat 67 in an upstream direction until the head 75 is stopped by engagement with the spring 80. The resiliency of the spring 80 is such that the beater 83 may be pushed in an upstream direction until the beater brush 85 comes into firm contact with the surface being cleaned but at the same time the spring 80 is preferably sufiiciently stiff so that its socket portion 82 does not come into contact with the interior of the housing section 40. The spring 80 thus provides drive means for driving the beater 83 in response to operation of the suction impulse motor. As best seen from FIG. 3, when the valve head 75 and valve seat 67 are both positioned as far upstream as construction of the apparatus allows, no substantial flow of air can take place through the suction conduit including the suction chamber 15.

OPERATION When the source of suction, such as a conventional vacuum cleaner, is attached to the vacuum cleaner head 1, the suction produced in the interior of the valve sleeve 66 is sufliciently strong to pull the head 75 and sleeve 66 downstream against the action of springs 65 and 74. This moves the head 75 downstream, which permits the beater spring 80 to raise the beater brush upwardly. The spring 65 is designed so as to exert a greater force when compressed than that exerted by the spring 74 and the relative compressions of the two springs are such that the downstream movement of the valve head ceases while the suction force within the sleeve 66 is still sufiicient to move the sleeve slightly further downstream against the urging of the spring 74. Alternatively, the springs may be designed so that the downstream movement of the valve head 75 is stopped when the valve head comes into contact with the end of the spindle 63. This additional downstream movement of the sleeve 66 results in movement of the valve seat 67 away from the valve seat zone 77 of the valve head 75 and thereby permits a substantial passage of air between the valve seat and valve head. The

rush of air through the said opening substantially equalizes the pressure on the upstream and downstream sides of the valve head 75 and effectively destroys the suction eifect holding the valve head 75 and sleeve 66 downstream against the urging of the springs 65 and 74. The springs 65 and 74 thereupon drive the head 75 and sleeve 66 upstream to the position shown in FIG. 3 and the inertia of the head 75 forces the beater brush downwardly against the surface being cleaned.

Since the spring 65 is under substantially greater compression than the spring 74, the valve head 75 moves upstream at a faster rate than the sleeve 66 thereby widening the opening between the valve head 75 and valve seat 67 as the valve head and sleeve move upstream. This allows ample room for passage of air and dirt between the head 75 and seat 67 as these components move upstream. Air, as well as dirt which is sucked in through the suction chamber 15, passes through the outlet opening 86 provided in the rear end of the housing section 41 and thence through the connecting joint 4 and wand 5 to a conventional collecting bag or filter of the vacuum cleaner per se.

Once the head 75 has completed its upstream movement, the spring 65 holds it in the extreme upstream position until the sleeve 66, under the urging of the spring 74, reaches its extreme upstream position, at which time the valve seat 67 is engaged by the valve head 75 and the entire cycle is repeated.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifiactions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is intended to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A suction actuated device comprising:

(a) a main body having a passage therethrough, said passage having first and second suction openings, said first suction opening being positioned to communicate with a surface being cleaned and said second suction opening being positioned to communicate with a motor housing;

(b) a motor housing having a drive motor positioned therein and having a suction opening for communication with the second suction opening of the main body;

(c) attachment means detachably securing the motor housing to the main body in such a way that the second suction opening of the main body is in register with the suction opening of the motor housing, such attachment means comprising:

(1) substantially coplanar flange means extending outwardly from the motor housing,

(2) raised lip and depressed recess portions of the surface of the main body positioned for interfitting engagement with said flange means to thereby hold the motor housing against lateral or longitudinal movement with respect to the surface of the main body,

(3) a headed stud carried on the motor housing, an opening in the surface of the main body being in register with said stud when the motor housing is secured to the main body, and

(4) a locking plate mounted beneath the surface of the main body for sliding movement into locking and unlocking positions, said locking plate having a key shaped slot and being positioned so that when the locking plate is in locking position, the stud is in the narow part of the slot with the locking plate engaging the head of the stud and when the locking plate is in the unlocking position, the head of the stud is in register with the enlarged part of the slot to 7 permit removal of the motor unit from the main body;

(d) agitating means positioned within the main body and extending through the second suction opening of the main body and into the suction opening of the motor housing; and

(e) drive means in the motor housing positioned to engage the agitating means upon connection of said main body with said motor housing for driving the agitating means in response to operation of the drive motor.

2. A suction actuated device comprising:

(a) a main body having a passage therethrough, said passage having first and second suction openings, said first suction opening being positioned to communicate with a surface being cleaned and said second suction opening being positioned to communicate with, a motor housing;

(b) a motor housing having a drive motor positioned therein and having first and second suction openings, the first suction opening of the motor housing being positioned for communication with a source of suction, second suction opening of the motor housing being positioned for communication with the second suction opening of the main body and the drive motor being disposed in the motor housing in the suction line between the first and second suction openings of the motor housing;

(c) drive means positioned within the motor housing to engage a heater upon connection of said main body with said motor housing for driving the beater in response to operation of the drive motor;

((1) a beater secured to the drive means and extending from within the motor housing through the second suction opening of the motor housing and the second suction opening of the main body and adapted to extend through the first suction opening of the main body in response to operation of the drive motor and drive means to thereby contact a surface being cleaned; and

(e) attachment means detachably securing the motor housing to the main body in such a way that the second suction opening of the main body is in register with the suction opening of the motor housing, such attachment means comprising:

(1) substantially coplanar flange means extending outwardly from the motor housing,

(2) raised lip and depressed recess portions of the surface of the main body positioned for interfitting engagement with said flangemeans to thereby hold the motor housing against lateral or longitudinal movement with respect to the surface of the main body,

(3) a headed stud carried on the motor housing, an opening in the surface of the main body being in register with said stud when the motor housing is secured to the main body, and

(4) a locking plate mounted beneath the surface of the main body for sliding movement into locking and unlocking positions, said locking plate having a key shaped slot and being positioned so that when the locking plate is in locking position, the stud is in the narrow part of the slot with the locking plate engaging the head of the stud and when the locking plate is in the unlocking position, the head of the stud is in register with the enlarged part of the slot to permit removal of the motor unit from the main body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,034,260 7/1912 Lichtenberg 15381 X 2,637,062 5/1953 Sutton et a1. 15-411 X 2,682,074 6/1954 Dow 285-317 X. 2,980,939 4/1961 Sparklin et al 15-410 X 3,054,131 9/1962 Groves 15-382 ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUCTION ACTUATED DEVICE COMPRISING: (A) A MAIN BODY HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, SAID PASSAGE HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SUCTION OPENINGS, SAID FIRST SUCTION OPENING BEING POSITIONED TO COMMUNICATED WITH A SURFACE BEING CLEANED AND SAID SECOND SUCTION OPENING BEING POSITIONED TO COMMUNICATE WITH A MOTOR HOUSING; (B) A MOTOR HOUSING HAVING A DRIVE MOTOR POSITIONED THEREIN AND HAVING A SUCTION OPENING FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE SECOND SUCTION OPENING OF THE MAIN BODY; (C) ATTACHMENT MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING THE MOTOR HOUSING TO THE MAIN BODY IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE SECOND SUCTION OPENING OF THE MAIN BODY IS IN REGISTER WITH THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE MOTOR HOUSING, SUCH ATTACHMENT MEANS COMPRISING: (1) SUBSTANTIALLY COPLANAR FLANGE MEANS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM THE MOTOR HOUSING, (2) RAISED LIP AND DEPRESSED RECESS PORTIONS OF THE SURFACE OF THE MAIN BODY POSITIONED FOR INTERFITTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FLANGE MEANS TO THEREBY HOLD THE MOTOR HOUSING AGAINST LATERAL OR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO THE SURFACE OF THE MAIN BODY, (3) A HEADED STUD CARRIED ON THE MOTOR HOUSING, AN OPENING IN THE SURFACE OF THE MAIN BODY BEING IN REGISTER WITH SAID STUD WHEN THE MOTOR HOUSING IS SECURED TO THE MAIN BODY, AND (4) A LOCKING PLATE MOUNTED BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE MAIN BODY FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT INTO LOCKING AND UNLOCKING POSITIONS, SAID LOCKING PLATE HAVING A KEY SHAPED SLOT AND BEING POSITIONED SO THAT WHEN THE LOCKING PLATE IS IN LOCKING POSITION, THE STUD IS IN THE NAROW PART OF THE SLOT WITH THE LOCKING PLATE ENGAGING THE HEAD OF THE STUD AND WHEN THE LOCKING PLATE IS IN THE UNLOCKING POSITION, THE HEAD OF THE STUD IS IN REGISTER WITH ENLARGED PART OF THE SLOT TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE MOTOR UNIT FROM THE MAIN BODY; (D) AGITATING MEANS POSITIONED WITHIN THE MAIN BODY AND EXTENDING THROUGH THE SECOND SUCTION OPENING OF THE MAIN BODY AND INTO THE SUCTION OPENING OF THE MOTOR HOUSING; AND (E) DRIVE MEANS IN THE MOTOR HOUSING POSITIONED TO ENGAGE THE AGITATING MEANS UPON CONNECTION OF SAID MAIN BODY WITH SAID MOTOR HOUSING FOR DRIVING THE AGITATING MEANS IN RESPONSE TO OPERATION OF THE DRIVE MOTOR. 